Jump to navigation Jump to search. During the late Paleozoic era, ocean basin of southern and central Arkansas was lifted when South America collided with North America. [18] Subduction of the South American Plate beneath the North American Plate resulted in this mountain-building event. The Ouachita Mountains (/ˈwɒʃɪtɔː/), simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are unique because metamorphism and volcanism, features that are common in orogenic belts, are notably absent (with the exception of some low-grade metamorphism). Cambrian through Mississippian strata of the Ouachitas were deposited in a narrow, two-sided basin called the Ouachita Trough, which formed as part of a Cambrian failed rift system. Relatively little-known outside of the US long distance hiking community, it is a non-motorized single track trail that is well marked and maintained from start to finish. Today, there are large populations of white-tailed deer, coyote, and other common temperate forest animals. are geologically considered outlier of the Appalachian Mts. The Ouachita Mountains are old. The Ouachita Mts. [14] The Ouachitas continue in the subsurface to the Black Warrior Basin of Alabama and Mississippi where they plunge towards the Appalachian Mountains. ouachitana, Carex latebracteata, Galium arkansanum var. They also contain the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, a 223-mile-long (359 km) hiking trail through the heart of the mountains. The Ouachita River originates in the Ouachita Mountains of west-central Arkansas near the Arkansas and Oklahoma border and flows 600 river miles before joining the Black and Red rivers in north-central Louisiana. [6][7], Louis R. Harlan claimed that "Ouachita" is composed of the Choctaw words ouac for "buffalo" and chito for "large", together meaning "country of large buffaloes". Updates? Later, in 1804, President Jefferson sent William Dunbar and Dr. George Hunter to the area after the Louisiana Purchase. The mountain building process, called orogeny or orogenesis, did a wondrous job of creating folds, faults, and overturned layers of rock. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thrust Belt, one of the important orogenic belts of North America. Ouachita Mountains. The Fourche Mountains form a major watershed divide between the Arkansas River Basin to the north and the Red River Basin to the south. [19] Compressional forces caused the crust to buckle, producing complex folds at all scale levels and several overturned sequences. The Ouachitas are also known for novaculite, a variety of chert that has undergone low-grade metamorphism; particular grades found only in Arkansas are used for making whetstones. Ouachita Mountains, a rugged range of large hills that continues the Ozark Mountains in the United States. A map of the Ouachita Mountains The Zig Zag Mountains are not exceptionally tall, but do reach heights over 1,400 feet. The Ouachita flows through eleven different counties in Arkansas and five parishes in Louisiana. 03 There are at least 31 mountains in the Appalachians. The Frontal Ouachita Mountains are located in the Arkansas River Valley and feature a number of isolated landforms. The Ozarks are a source of lead and zinc. Formed over 300 million years ago, these mountains are a highly eroded remnant of a much larger range, one that may have stretched from Texas into southeastern Canada. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Trap Mountains are located primarily in Garland and Hot Spring counties, Arkansas. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Oak and pine forests cloak the hills, covering some 1.8 million acres (about 2,800 square miles), and cultivation is restricted to the more-favourable valley bottoms. The Formation of the Ouachita Mountains. The Ouachita Mountains stretch for about 160 miles northwest from Little Rock into Oklahoma. [16] The quartz formed after the Ouachita Orogeny when fractures in rocks filled with silica-saturated fluids and, over millions of years, precipitated crystals up to several feet in length. From fish to firs, squirrels to spruce, these Appalachian region facts will help you to discover the mountains rich flora and fauna. Magazine Mountain-Radio Area: 2700+ 823+ Northern Ouachita Mountains: 4. The highest natural point is Raspberry Mountain at 2,358 feet. The Crystal Mountains are generally taller than the nearby Zig Zag Mountains, achieving elevations over 1,800 feet. Prairies stretch across much of Oklahoma, but the state also holds mountain ranges, including the Ouachita Mountains in the southeastern corner. [10] There are six wilderness areas within the Ouachita National Forest, which are protected areas designed to minimize the impacts of human activities. Rich Mountain: 2681: 817: Central Ouachita Mountains: 5. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Ouachita-Mountains, Oklahoma Historical Society - Ouachita Mountains, Explore Southern History - The Ouachitas of Arkansas and Oklahoma. This collision lifted Ozark plateau to the north and even formed folded Ouachita mountains. Area: c.129,500sq km (50,000sq mi). The Collier Shale, located at the core of the Benton-Broken Bow Uplift, is the oldest exposed formation of the Ouachitas. Though elusive, hundreds of black bear roam the Ouachitas. Andy Ostmeyer Old Cabins Homeste Along Buffalo River Tell Ozark Stories Lifestyles Joplinglobe. [15] To the southwest, the Ouachitas join with the Marathon area of west Texas where rocks of the Ouachita Fold and Thrust Belt are briefly exposed.[3]. are geologically considered outlier of the Appalachian Mts. The highest natural point is Trap Mountain at 1,310 feet. The Ouachita Mountains Regional Library (OMRL) is a two county system serving the citizens of Polk and Montgomery Counties located in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains. Rich Mountain reaches an elevation of 2,681 feet (817 m) in Arkansas near the Oklahoma border. River Of … Corrections? Nutrient, mineral, and biochemical water quality parameter concentrations are low in the surface waters of the Fourche range, but turbidity can be higher than in other mountainous parts of the Ouachitas. The highest natural point is Mount Magazine at 2,753 feet, which is also the highest natural point of the Ouachitas and U.S. The rich history of the Ouachita Mountains provides many beautiful historical sites to visit. into SE Okla. Magazine Mt. With fast-moving streams and crystal-clear lakes, theres nothing you cant catch in the Ouachitas. A map of the Ouachita Mountains This page was last changed on 23 November 2020, at 10:24. It is located south of the Ouachitas and extends from to the Arkansas-Oklahoma border. obtusifolius, Streptanthus squamiformis, Valerianella palmerii, and Vernonia lettermanii. Here Are Some of the Most Interesting Facts About the Ozark Mountains The Ozarks occupy a broad swath of pristine land in the United States and have been around longer than the nation has. The Ouachita Mountains include the Ouachita National Forest. [12], Bison and elk once found habitat in the Ouachita Mountains, but have since been extirpated. The Ouachita Mountains, however, remained thinly populated by subsistence farmers. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. They extend from Pulaski County, Arkansas to Atoka County, Oklahoma and are home to several popular sites of interest, including Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock, Arkansas. The Ouachitas are known for some of the world's finest quartz, especially around Mount Ida, Arkansas, the quartz capital of the world. Poteau Mountain: 2660+ 811+ Northern Ouachita Mountains: 7. There are approximately 200 islands on the lake, which varies depending on the lake level, which also varies about 10 feet on average yearly. Hot Springs National Park lies in the Ouachita Mountains. 02 The Appalachian Mountains first appeared on a map in 1562. The Ouachita Mts. The Ouachita Mountains span West Arkansas and the South Eastern part of Oklahoma. National Forest in the United States, the availability of free acreage under the Homestead Act encouraged rural settlement less! [ 5 ], several plants are endemic to the Arkansas-Oklahoma border Zig Zag Mountains, range of hills. 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